


Rub-A-Dub Dub

by glassnikki



Series: Dad!Bucky [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, dad!bucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26537206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glassnikki/pseuds/glassnikki
Summary: Bucky spends so adorable quality time with his little one
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Series: Dad!Bucky [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711957
Comments: 2
Kudos: 68





	Rub-A-Dub Dub

Bucky dipped his fingers into the warm stream of water filling up the big soaking tub, making the large master bathroom comfortably toasty warm and clouded with a thin veil of steam. Rainy nights always called for a bath. 

In the hazy mirror, he tied up his hair into a bun with little wispy strands stuck to the skin of his neck and hanging down near his ears. He double-checked that everything was set out within arm’s reach: soap, lotion to massage into her clean skin, a few fluffy and soft towels folded up on the vanity counter, before shrugging out of his clothes, letting them pool to the bathroom floor. He kicked them away, knowing you’d smirk and roll your eyes as you scooped up the discarded clothes off the floor. With the room warm, his skin didn’t prickle with goosebumps, but the sudden brush of air on his free skin made him shiver.

He checked the water one more time, warm but not too warm, before stepping carefully into the bath, and sinking down under the warm water with a breathy sigh, stretching out his legs. His back had been playing up, and the tense muscles began to loosen up under the water. Bucky settled his head back against the tub and propped his feet up against the far, opposite side. 

“Ready for someone to join you?” 

Bucky looked over to see you peeking in from the doorway, a gurgling little bundle held tightly in your arms so that an ounce of cold wouldn’t dream of gracing her delicate skin. 

Bucky held his arms out for her, a grin lighting up his face. “’ Course,” he hummed. “C’mere, sweetie.” 

“She’s all fed and happy,” you promised, shifting the grumbling nine-week-old into his arms. She whimpered at the sudden loss of contact, her wrinkled feet curling and her fists clenched tight. But the moment she’s tucked into his arms, head nudged into the bend of his elbow, her legs and belly cradled by the water, she falls peacefully quiet. 

“Hi, baby.” He brushed his lips over Ava’s forehead. 

“Okay,” you whispered, bringing your voice to a lulling whisper. “Momma has a date with the breast pump…and a brownie…or two.” You stepped forward, leaning down against the edge of the bath to brush the wisps of Bucky’s hair back and kiss his forehead. “Thanks for giving her, her bath tonight.” 

“How romantic. That’s very romantic, isn’t it, little one?” Bucky teased, smirking, and reluctantly lifting his gaze from his baby to look up at you. Liquid pools of blue. “No problem, doll. It’s nice to have some time with her.” 

“Yell if you need anything. I love you.” 

Bucky nodded. “Love you.” Before hearing you quietly slip from the room, and he could return his attention to the baby snuggled against his chest, gazing up at him in wonder. “Does this feel nice?” The water lightly lapped at her belly, one of her slowly wrinkling palms reaching up to press into the damp skin of his chest. Bucky was secretly glad that she hadn’t taken a liking to the baby bathtub someone had gifted you. She would wail her little heart out every time you tried to settle her into it for a bath before putting her to bed. The kind of red-faced, ‘end of the world’ wails that broke his heart and yours. 

One night, you’d tried getting into the bath with her, and ever since, it seemed to be the only way she could stand having a bath at all. There were no tears, and for that, he was happy. And he got to selfishly cuddle her until they were both nearly pruned and very much warm when it was his turn to give her a bath. 

“You just like to snuggle, don’t you?” He bumped his nose against hers, bringing her up close. “You’re a snuggle bug.” He peppered tiny kisses over her cheeks, dotting them over her forehead. 

“Daddy can’t complain about that. Don’t tell Mummy, but you’re my favorite to snuggle.” It was his favorite thing in the world. 

“Hi.” He watched her give him a smile that she was just starting to figure out how to do. “Are you full of smiles?” He splayed his toes out under the water and wiggled his back to get more comfortable, rocking her gently, so her body swayed with the water. 

He massaged his fingers over her chubby legs, the fake skin covering metal, a gift from tony when he heard you complaining about how you couldn’t probably bathe her with how slippy the metal got.

Her tiny belly, a proud mil belly, was incredibly soft under grazing his fingertips along her cheeks and under her chin, the shell of her ear, reveling in being close to her and listening to her coo and gurgle as she also seemed content to be in his arms and enjoying her bath. He hadn’t known her long, he was still getting to know her, but already, he was head over heels in love with her. 

It’s a few heartbeats of him gazing at her before she let out a tiny hiccup. It seemed to startle her for a moment before there’s another. 

“Oh,” Bucky hummed, making his eyes wide and his lips puckered. “Do you have the hiccups?” He kissed her nose as another tiny squeak passed her lips. He let out a soft chuckle as she hiccuped again. “Try holding your breath? Like this…” He took in a big lungful of air and held it in his cheeks for a moment before exhaling quickly, and laughing again as she hiccups a little softer this time. He can’t get enough of her and he wants to stay in this nice, warm, bath, and cuddle her forever. He never wants her to grow up and be too big to snuggle to his chest. 

Eventually, though, the water starts to grow cold, and before she can fall asleep, he washes her up and tucks her into a clean towel. He makes sure to massage powdery, and lightly floral scented lotion into her water-softened skin, laughing at how her little tuft of hair curls up at the ends near her ears from the heat of the bath. Before she’s dressed in snuggly pajamas and happy again, and then so is he. Nothing compares to the feeling of a clean tee shirt and sweatpants on your skin right after a bath. 

He’s stretched out on his side of the bed with her curled up on his chest, her head nudged up into the hollow of his throat and his hand over her back. She’s nearly asleep and so is he, muscles pliant and loose, eyes heavy. So happy to have his baby girl on his chest, listening to the little sounds she makes as she’s falling asleep nestled on top of him. He decided it was the best kind of bliss. 


End file.
